The present invention relates generally to display racks for displaying merchandise and, more particularly, is directed to a display rack slidably mounted in front of a fixed display wall.
When displaying articles in a retail store, it is desirable that the articles be in plain sight for inspection and purchase by a customer. In this regard, it is well-known to erect fixed pegboard-type walls on which the articles can be easily mounted by store personnel, and can be viewed and removed by a customer. However, even with such arrangement, the amount of space available for mounting the articles is limited.
In this regard, it has been suggested to slidably mount at least one pegboard-type panel in front of the fixed display wall for mounting additional articles thereon. The area in front of each fixed display wall is thereby utilized to maximum efficiency, while still permitting the customer to view and remove articles on any of the movable display panels and from the fixed display wall. With this known arrangement, the vertical display panels have either their top or bottom edges slidably supported or mounted in a track and the opposite edge guided within an additional track in order to prevent the vertical display panels from tipping. Specifically, such conventional assemblies include rollers mounted to the lower edge of each panel for slidably supporting the panel, or alternatively, rollers secured to the upper edge of each panel for slidably supporting the panel in a track in a hanging manner. In either case, a track is provided at the opposite edge of the panel for guiding the same and preventing the panel from tipping forwardly or rearwardly. In this regard the following references are representative of such known arrangements.
Slaga U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,004 discloses a cantilever movable panel display rack in which a plurality of panels having pegboard holes therein are slidably disposed in a vertical and parallel relationship in front of a fixed back display wall.
Rollers are provided at the upper end of each panel, by which the panel is slidably suspended from an upper track in the top section of the rack. The bottom of each panel is slidably guided within tracks at the base of the rack so as to maintain the panels in the aforementioned vertical and parallel relationship. However, because upper and lower tracks are required, the upper tracks for supporting the panels and the lower tracks for guiding the panels, there is an increase in the complexity and cost of the display rack. In addition, because the panels are supported solely at their upper ends, the upper end of each panel must be made from a steel sheet and is reinforced by an additional plate or sheet to provide the necessary rigidity and strength to the structure. Still further, because of the use of overhanging tracks to support the panels, additional track supporting structure must be provided for supporting the tracks, thereby further adding to the cost and complexity of the rack.
Kempler U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,893 discloses a small article display rack which is substantially identical in all relevant aspects to U.S. Patent No. 3,883,004 to Slaga. Accordingly, the same remarks made in regard to Slaga also apply to Kempler.
Winn U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,052 discloses a merchandise display unit in which a plurality of panels having pegboard holes therein are slidably disposed in a vertical and parallel relationship in front of a fixed back display panel, in much the same arrangement as in Slaga U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,004. With Winn, however, the panels are slidably supported in bottom tracks by means of ball bearings. In order to maintain the vertical and parallel relationship of the panels, upper tracks are provided for receiving the upper ends of the panels. Therefore, it is necessary to provide an overhanging structure and upper tracks, adding to the complexity and cost of the display unit.
Ludwick U.S. Pat. No. 2,098,828 discloses a display rack similar to Winn. Specifically, a display rack is movably disposed in front of a fixed shelf, the unit being particularly suited to the storing of boxes of shoes. The bottom of the display rack includes grooved rollers which ride on a track on the base. The upper end of the display rack includes a member which is constrained to move between two parallel guide members, with the explicit purpose of the latter being to prevent the movable rack from tipping rearwardly or forwardly. However, because of the use of an overhanging support and the upper guide members, the complexity and cost of the display unit is increased.
Dickgiesser U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,683 discloses a movable support panel assembly comprised of a plurality of modular panels. The support for this assembly is similar to that of Winn and Ludwick. Specifically, a plurality of sets of rollers are provided on the bottom of the assembly for movably supporting the assembly on a base. No track is provided for the lower support rollers. In order to guide the assembly during movement thereof, the upper end of the assembly is provided with a guide roller which rides within an upper track. However, as with Winn and Ludwick, because of the use of an upper support and the upper guide assembly comprised of the upper track and the upper guide roller, the complexity and cost of the display unit is increased.
Thus, a problem with all of the aforementioned references is that upper and lower tracks must be provided for supporting and guiding the movable display racks. This, of course, results in an increase in the complexity and cost of the system.
Allsop U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,166 discloses a ski pole mounting assembly including a plurality of platforms slidably mounted on a base by means of rollers on the underside of each platform, each roller riding on the upper surface of the base. A tracking member extends centrally from the underside of each platform and is guided within a U-shaped rail member on the base, so as to guide the movement of each platform on the base. A plurality of stud members are mounted on each platform, with each stud member extending upwardly from the platform and having a hollow, frustoconical configuration. A socket member is inserted into each such stud member. Such arrangement is only provided, however, so that each socket member can hold a ski pole in an upright position. Thus, the assembly of this patent has no relation to a display rack in which there is a front, vertically oriented movable pegboard-type panel for holding a plurality of items and a back, fixed pegboard-type panel for also holding a plurality of items, such that maximum utilization of floor space in a store is achieved.